Nostalgia as credits roll on County Cinema's last picture show
Hitler's Panzers were preparing to roll into Poland at the time the County Cinema opened in Castlebar in 1939. Within months, the Continent would be plunged into the second hellish war of the century. In neutral Ireland, however, apart from the prospect of rationing, things were to remain much the same despite the conflagration which had engulfed the rest of Europe. Amongst other shortages, such as tea and tobacco, the war meant a scarcity of rubber. Frank Guthrie from McHale Road, cinema projectionist from 194O to 1942, remembers there were no tyres on the little cart which he pushed to and from the railway station when collecting the films which had been despatched by rail from Dublin. In the wake of the closure of the County Cinema recently. Frank nostalgically recalled what now seems a primitive transport vehicle. "The wheels were from an old motorbike. There were no tyres", he explained. "If it was snowing and I got stuck Willie Ainsworth would dig the snow out of the wheels with a screwdriver". UNSCATHEDThe war, thankfully, left Ireland unscathed and in those pre-television times people went to the cinema in droves. Frank Guthrie recalls that the 'County' was packed even in midweek. There was no such thing as a queue with people spilling onto the streets. If Spencer Street was blocked, tough luck. Any motorist caught in the jam simply switched off the engine and waited for the road to clear again. Those were gentler times then, road rage was well over half a century away. Patrons yearning for tales of love and excitement were pouring into the County Cinema from far and wide to see such films as "The Count of Monte Cristo" and Maureen O'Sullivan in "Spring Madness". The late Jack Flanagan was projectionist at the time the cinema opened in 1939 before leaving to take up an appointment in the Hat Factory. "He worked there until 1948", Jack's son, Pat, recalled this week. "I grew up in the cinema. My father would allow me change the films when I was eight or nine. In the 196Os, I took over as projectionist myself, along with John Heraghty. I worked at it for the best part of eighteen years". "The County Cinema was the heart of life in the town in the 194O's and 195O's", Pat continued. "In fact, it was about the only social life at the time apart from dances. It was jammed at weekends and three-quarters full during the week. The first film shown there was 'Too Hot to Handle' starring Clark Gable." Christmas Day films were a big attraction in the early years. There were three shows, 3 p.m.; 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. It was well into the 195O's before colour began to take over from black and white. BALCONYColm Kilcoyne from St. Bridget's Crescent, Castlebar now Parish Priest of Cong, a schoolboy in the 194O's, recalls when a gang of pals would head off to the 'County' every time a film changed. The cheapest seats were 4 old pennies, Fr. Colm recalls. He added: "The only times we could afford the dearer seats in the balcony was the day after St. Stephen's Day when we had the 'wren' money". The cinema brought excitement and colour into our lives and stimulated our imaginations. The first film of the night was a comic serial which ended in a cliffhanger and we would be looking forward all week to seeing the next episode when we would find out what happened". Peggy Lee, daughter of the first projectionist, Jack Flanagan, worked in the cinema shop in the 195O's dispensing sweets and ice-cream with her customary smile. "The people that worked there were all like one big happy family", she recalls. "It was very interesting work. You met so many couples. The cinema was the place for a fellow to bring his girl in those days". Garage proprietor Henry Downes recalls that the cinema owner, Gussie Burke, always played classical music at the interval. Cowboy films, with Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, were all the rage in the 194O's. Indeed, the emphasis was so much on the 'Wild West' that Henry laughingly recalls an in-joke of the time when one cinemagoer would ask another: "Where's Willie Ainsworth? (the ticket-checker). "He's out the back, burying Indians", was the deadpan reply. Henry also remembers Willie, dapper in a hat, mounting the stage on more than one occasion to announce: "We are sorry the picture is late but it is on the train and will be collected soon". So patrons waited on happily chatting to one another, not the least bit bothered by the delay. Willie Ainsworth's patience was tested more than once by restless young patrons, mostly of the male variety. A warning from Willie along the lines, "I'll make a football of your backside if you do that again", was usually sufficient to quell whatever rowdiness was in progress. Spencer Street businessman, Sean Horkan remembers the bicycles in the early days, literally hundreds of them lined up on the back road leading to the cinema. Nobody bothered with locks. If it was nighttime, the cinema-goer brought their lamps with them to the showing. The worst thing that could happen a bike would be that some local youngster learning to cycle would borrow it. It would always be left back exactly in its former position. PEEPHOLEAlthough projectionists didn't get to see much of the show through their little peephole, Pat Flanagan recalls "The Quiet Man" and "Ryan's Daughter" as particularly fine films as well as Dr. Zhivago which ran to packed houses for weeks. Back in the 195O's, the Government put an entertainment tax on cinemas which meant some sort of a variety act was required in order to avoid the levy. The solution was to put Brose Walsh and a few other entertainers on stage between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. That kept the taxman happy and gave cinemagoers an extra hour of entertainment. Throughout the years, the County Cinema was always the place you could bring your uncle from the Missions without fear of morals being offended. "The most one might see would be a glimpse of female ankle", explains Henry Downes. Says Pat Flanagan: "If there was even an outline of a woman's figure to be seen through a flimsy garment the boys and young men of the town would be talking about it for days on end". The doors are locked now in the old County Cinema, the projectionist's perch is beginning to grow cobwebs. But the love affair of the people of Castlebar with the cinema continues as strongly as ever and is reflected in the recent establishment of the multi-screen Mayo Movie World at Moneen and plans for a four-screen cineplex elsewhere are proceeding. Despite the comfort and sophistication of the new cinemas, old -stagers, especially couples whose romances blossomed in the back row underneath the flickering light of the projector, sigh wistfully before declaring: "There's never be anywhere like the County". EditorialTHE LAST PICTURE SHOWThe County Cinema in Castlebar closed down last week after some sixty years or so, bringing to an end a unique period in the entertainment history of the county town. Thousands of locals visited the cinema at Spencer Street which was owned by the Bourke family and for many it was their first introduction to the silver screen and the legends of Hollywood. As a youngster a 4d seat in the 'pit' for a Sunday matinee was the highlight of the week. The Cisco Kid, the Three Stooges or some frightening black and white horror film which gave us nightmares for nights, were our staple diet. It was the only meeting place for young people in the 50's and early 60's. The cinema then was just a one-screen complex with three price tiers and there was a new film screened every second night. Those were the days before television. They were innocent times and violence on the screen was a thing of the future. We lived on a diet of westerns, swashbuckling adventures and the epics such as 'Gone With The Wind', 'The Cardinal' and 'Ben Hur'. There were great characters employed at the cinema, among whom were Willie Ainsworth, McHale Road, Frank Guthrie, McHale Road, Jack Flanagan, McHale Road, John (Botha) Roach, McHale Road, Pat Flanagan, Newtown, Larry Cresham, McHale Road, James Halligan, Lucan Street, Kathy Dever, Station Road, Angela Colgan, Curragh, Joan McDonnell, McHale Road, Tony Gibbons, Derrycoosh, Brian Guthrie, Riverdale Court, Kathleen McCormack, Charles Street, Mai Gavin, Charles Street, John Heraty, Cloonkeen, Pat Concannon, Newport Road, Nuala Armstrong, Newtown, PJ Madden (Fr. Meehan Place), Margaret O'Malley, Mary Rance, Joan Fallon, Patsy Fallon, Patsy Ainsworth, Sonny Guthrie, Martin Feeney Snr (all McHale Road) and Pakie Kilcourse, Castle Street. In the early 50's the cinema was burned down and the 'picture house' was transferred on a temporary basis to Jackie Elliott's Plaza further up Spencer Street, while the County Cinema was being rebuilt. Earlier cinemas were located at the rear of Paddy Fahy's on Main Street and where the Ulster Bank now stands on Ellison Street. In later years the County Cinema was converted into a three screen complex and despite the advent of videos and satellite TV movies, it held its own until the recent development of the multi-screen Mayo Movie World at Moneen. However, the proprietors, guarantee they will be back in business with a new four screen cineplex in September, located in a different area of the town. Sure competition is the spice of life. However, worth watching will be what happens with the vast Spencer Street building. Commercial interests in the locality will be waiting with bated breath to see what future developments may take place there. There has been major controversy in the past year over the opening of multi-screen cinemas in Castlebar and from what we believe the saga is not over yet. But one thing is for sure, Castlebar will not sustain two modern cinema complexes. While the film-goer may be the winner, it will not be commercially viable for two such operations. It will be the survival of the fittest. But the closing of the County Cinema is the end of a historic era for those who were enthralled by the magic of the movies. |
